To find a chiral compound, write out the structural formula, and look for a carbon atom surrounded by four different groups. For example:
.........................Propanoic acid is not chiral. ................................ 2-hydroxypropanoic acid is chiral.
.............................1-butanol is not chiral. ....................................... 2-butanol is chiral.
Now look at this molecule of glycine. Is it chiral. and therefore optically active?
One carbon atom is attached to 2 hydrogens, an amino group and a carboxylic group.
The other carbon atom is attached to a carbon, an oxygen and a hydroxy group.
Since neither carbon atom is surrounded by four different groups, the molecule is not chiral.
